Usman Khawaja has firmly rejected accusations of betraying his teammates following the release of extracts from his upcoming autobiography, *Sabr*. The former Australia opener, who retired after the 2023 Ashes, made explosive claims that the entire squad was aware of the plot to use sandpaper on the ball during the 2018 Test against South Africa in Cape Town. While only captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft were officially sanctioned for the incident, Khawaja asserts that the truth regarding the collective knowledge of the team has never been fully disclosed.
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In a two-part video statement posted to Instagram, Khawaja clarified his stance, emphasizing that he views Smith, Warner, and Bancroft as the “victims” who shielded the rest of the group from disciplinary action. “I haven’t thrown anyone under the bus,” Khawaja stated, noting that the three players took the blame for all of us. He further alleged that Smith talked him out of insisting the whole team take responsibility at the time and claimed that a member of the coaching staff had encouraged Bancroft to tamper with the ball, adding new layers of complexity to a scandal that resulted in one-year bans for Smith and Warner and a nine-month suspension for Bancroft.
The revelations, set to be published in full on Tuesday, mark a significant shift in the narrative surrounding one of Australian cricket’s darkest moments. By asserting that the “truth has never come out,” Khawaja challenges the previous consensus that the incident was an isolated act by three individuals. His comments are likely to reignite debate within the cricketing community about accountability, team culture, and the extent of institutional knowledge during the 2018 tour, forcing a re-evaluation of how the Australian Cricket Board handled the fallout from the Cape Town scandal.
Source: Yahoo Sports
